Alternate or Parallel Dimension?

[khyber]

I am thinking of doing an adventure where I send my PCs to another dimension similiar yet dis-similiar to our Star Trek dimension. So I could use some ideas.

What I would like is a consensus as to what is an alternate dimension as opposed to a parallel dimension. In the past I've used these two terms inter-changeably.

Are they the same or are there differences?

[Kaiddin]

khyber

I also treat the terms as identical. In my game, so far, or the Mirror, Mirror parallel dimension exists. Not just because we are running a MP series but because none of my group like the later attempts. Don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing the DS9 shows. It just isn't what we want in our game.
I suppose it could be said that a parallel dimension is definately an alternate dimension but the reverse is not necessarily true. Depends on the direction of the flow from the divergence. I leave that to others to debate.

[AslanC]

Hmm is there a difference between alternate and parallell? I will let the others argue that one.

I think you should avoid all the traps of the Mirror Universe to make it truely special.

Why not a universe where the Klingons, Feds and Roms joined forces first against the BORG and stayed allied. Now they are working to forming one government.

Or a universe where the UFP never formed and the UESPA is still running around.

Plenty of ideas abound I would think.

[qerlin]

I like the idea of the no Fedration universe. I would have the various worlds vying for dominance; some allied with each, some not. but not the big happy family feel of the show.

Might be interesting to have a universe where some of the technology from Trek doesn't work; the physics are subtly different, requiring the crew to figure out how to adapt their ship and tech to the new physics.

[qerlin]

In fact...I think I just got my next minicampaign.

[Fred]

Well, a long time ago I decided what were the definitions of altenate reality and parallel dimension, mainly to order comic book stories in my mind.

Alternate reality, or dimension, or future, is a reality that is almost the same except for one or more events -- be they major or minor. Example: a reality in which the Nazis won WWII; the many realities visited by Worf in the TNG episode "Parallels".

Parallel dimensions are realities that may or may not have a lot in common, but even in the former case are never as similar as alternates. Examples: the Marvel Universe vs. the DC Universe; the many universes from different science-fiction rpgs.

And speaking of them, I have an adventure planned where the PCs end up in the Traveller universe. No susbspace-based tech works because the Cochrane Constant -- personal technobabble, but it may exist already -- is different. That's why they need jump engines, so they can alter their quantum flux and enter subspace, which they call jumpspace.


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"As long as you can laugh, you are not
defeated."

–- Jack Vance

[Dan Gurden]

If its a TOS campaign, the crossover with the B5 universe is worth investigation...

In a TNG campaign you get to explore the longer term aftermath of the Shadow wars, seen only briefly in the penultimate B5 episode...

"I am Commander James Kirk, of the Earthforce destroyer Enterprise..."

C'Mon, that would be a great crossover and NPC to use...

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Dan.

"A couple of thoughts from a random mind!"

[Owen E Oulton]

I think Fred got it the opposite way I tend to...

The Mirror/Mirror universe(s), and the multiple universes from Parallels are examples of parallel universes - there's a very close 1:1 correspondance, or parallel.

The Babylon 5 universe is an alternate universe - it's completely different from Star Trek's. There's no real parallel between the different future histories.

There you have it: an utter lack of concensus.

[Capt. K. Vaughn]

I would have to agree with Owen on his interpretation of dimensions.

Dan, the B5 Crossover works quite well and is surprisingly easy to merge LUG's ST with CEE's Babylon Project.

I ran a one-off crossover quite some time ago and plan to do something far more indepth in the near future as my group had a great time with it.

I may even have to incorporate the EF Destroyer Enterprise just for the look on their faces...

Regards,
CKV

[Fred]

Originally posted by Owen E Oulton:
I think Fred got it the opposite way I tend to...

That's because I was into comics way before SF. In the many storylines "alternate futures" are pretty common, engraving the idea that "alternate"is something that had a different outcome. The same with "parallels", which are different universes, save for physics and having humans, etc. Also, when I think of parallels, I think of things that have no point of contact, hence no similarity: B5 and ST, Marvel and DC, Middle-Earth and Greyhawk, etc.

But that's what you get for living in a parallel country.


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"As long as you can laugh, you are not
defeated."

–- Jack Vance

[AslanC]

Originally posted by Fred:
But that's what you get for living in a parallel country.

Man even the South Americans are taking shots at us now?

Back on topic

Okay so it seems we should establish a lexicon for this discussion and I agree with Owen (not just cause we are both Canadians, I mean he is from Ontario after all)

Alternate - A disconnected and independant universe. Doctor Who, Farscape, Starwars, Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica, etc...

Parallel - A similar but divergent reality/universe. Mirror Mirror being the primary example.

That said, I prefer Parallels to Alternates for Star Trek. Don't ask me why, because I couldn't tell you. Something about Vipers and X-Wings just have no place near Warp Drives and Phasers...guess I am a purist that way.

[Owen E Oulton]

Fred said...
"But that's what you get for living in a parallel country."

Aslan C said...
"Man even the South Americans are taking shots at us now?"

Nah, he just recognises the cultural significance of the 49^th parallel.

On the other tentacle, the alternate/parallel dichotomy is purely a matter of taste - both terms are used both ways in SF. Khyber, use whichever one you want - the terms really are interchangeable.

[SIR SIG]

Originally posted by Dan Gurden:

"I am Commander James Kirk, of the Earthforce destroyer Enterprise..."

C'Mon, that would be a great crossover and NPC to use...

[/B]

Omega class? Or a new Warlock?



Wait, no we'll put him on a Hyperion class....he he

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SIR SIG a Aussie TREK Narrator

[qerlin]

Good chance they might be jockeying a Victory-class, if it's late enough in the series.

As a huge B5 fan, this has crossed my mind a couple of times. The main prob for me is the wildly disparate tech.

[khyber]

After hearing all the great commentary, I think what I have in mind is a parallel dimension. Most of the same people exist in this new dimension as does in ours, but events happened differently.